Focus panel 6 – Inequalities in a beyond growth perspective: taxation as an instrument of ecological and social justice

Summary

The mounting evidence that continuous economic growth is not environmentally sustainable has led many in the academic, activist and political spheres to call to move “beyond growth”. Critics have also pointed out that economic growth might as well not be socially desirable since poverty is still a reality and inequalities are on the rise despite the constantly renewed promises of prosperity for all through economic growth. Meanwhile, corporate profits and accumulation by the wealthy reach new peaks every year and contribute significantly to the environmental degradation of our planet. Across the beyond-growth spectrum, proponents have made clear that putting an end to inequality should be both a destination and an avenue to get there. Yet, this poses considerable challenges since welfare states and redistribution policies are also largely entangled in the growth-dependency that we are supposed to get rid of. This applies especially to taxation, one of the main instruments of inequality reduction.

The panel aims at looking at social and environmental inequalities and what policies would be necessary to achieve social and environmental justice in a beyond growth economy, with a focus on taxation.

Chair

• Manon Aubry - Member of the European Parliament (La France Insoumise), Co-Chair of the Left group in the European Parliament, Beyond Growth Conference Organiser

Speakers

• Lucas Chancel - Professor in Economics, co-director of the World Inequality Lab, Paris School of Economics 
• Giorgos Kallis - Professor in Ecological Economics and Political Ecology, Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Barcelona
• Njoki Njoroge Njehû - Coordinator of the Fight Inequality Alliance Pan-Africa
• Chiara Pataturo - Inequalities and tax policy advisor, Oxfam EU
• Rafael Wildauer - Associate Professor in Economics, Greenwich Business School, London